The nuclear industry: consistent on consultations

Blogpost by Justin - 5 August, 2008 at 18:43

As we saw with both Bulgaria’s and Canada’s nuclear industries, the nuclear industry uses the same tactics across the world to get what it wants. In the case of Belene in Bulgaria and nuclear plants in Ontario, Canada it was a case of poorly drawn up Environmental Impact Assessments that failed to adequately address accident response and decommissioning.

Another feature of the planning of the Belene plant was that the public consultation was a sham. Local people were prevented from speaking at public hearings. Some villages surrounding the plant weren’t even made aware that a consultation was being carried out.

Thousands of miles away in Cumbria in northern England, exactly the same is happening. Sita UK want to build a facility to dispose of low level radioactive waste near Whitehaven. Here’s local government councillor, Willis Metherell:

‘What effect is this going to have on the environment? […] There are villages half a mile from this site and there has been a lack of consultation. We have not been involved in any discussions.’

Bulgaria and Canada. Bulgaria and England. The tactics are the same. Do nuclear companies across the world share the same book of dirty tricks?